Interacting with wildlife is frowned upon in parks because of the potentially dangerous outcomes. One parkgoer recently showed how hazardous it can be to get in a wild bison's space — and the internet was understandably stunned by the individual's moronic behavior.
The video shared by TouronsOfYellowstone (@touronsofyellowstone) — "tourons" being a combination of "tourist" and "moron" — shows two individuals walking up to a bull (male) bison on a bridge in Yellowstone National Park. One tourist comes within feet of the bison before it jumps up on the bridge and scares the tourist and their travel companion away.
The video poster shamed the tourist in the caption, writing, "Give the bison their space and don't be stupid. That majestic creature could head butt you into timbuktu‼️"
Bison are the largest mammal in North America, with bulls growing upwards of 2,000 pounds and standing up to six feet tall. Despite their size, bison are highly agile creatures that can reach up to 35 miles per hour and spin around on a dime. This makes interaction with tourists particularly dangerous and unpredictable.
Park regulations state that all visitors must remain a minimum of 25 yards from some wildlife, including elk, deer, and bison, and 100 yards from wolves and bears. Failing to adhere to the policy may result in fines and removal from the park — if tourists are lucky enough to get out of the interaction alive and without injury.
It's clear that the policies the National Parks Service put in place for the safety of park visitors and animals are perceived as a suggestion rather than a rule by some tourists.
Instagram users were appalled by the tourist's choice.
"They should start arresting people for this," one individual commented.
Another described the tourist's behavior as "pure unadulterated ignorance."
"I don't see how disturbing wild life or their environment is funny," another wrote.
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